[Chapter-delegates] Groups push for net neutrality in Obama administration

[Khaled KOUBAA]

http://www.thestandard.com/news/2008/12/03/groups-push-net-neutrality-obama-administration

Advocates of net neutrality rules in the U.S. have called on 
President-elect Barack Obama to act quickly to prevent broadband 
providers from blocking or impairing access to Internet content of 
customers' choice.

The Open Internet Coalition on Wednesday called on Obama to follow 
through with his promises during the presidential campaign to establish 
net neutrality rules. Members of the coalition also called on Obama to 
appoint a new chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission who 
would enforce net neutrality rules and champion broadband competition.

In addition, Obama should appoint leaders at the U.S. Federal Trade 
Commission and Department of Justice who will promote an open Internet 
through antitrust and consumer-protection laws, and he should put key 
staff in place at the new office of U.S. chief technology officer and 
the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to promote open Internet 
ideals both in the U.S. and overseas, the groups said in their letter 
<http://www.openinternetcoalition.org/files/Letter%20to%20Transition%20Team_120308.pdf> 
to the Obama transition team.

"Net neutrality is certainly one key part of the platform, but it's only 
one part," said Art Brodsky, communications director for Public 
Knowledge, a digital rights advocacy group that's part of the coalition. 
"We want to make certain that these institutions of government are 
prepared to implement an open Internet agenda and respond appropriately 
to threats."

Members of the group, asked if they believe Obama will act on net 
neutrality and broadband competition given priorities such as the U.S. 
economy, said they expect the new president to move ahead on tech 
issues. "Providing affordable, accessible, high-speed Internet to all 
Americans is part of the economic recovery," said Markham Erickson, 
director of the coalition.

Coalition members said they're encouraged that Obama talked about 
keeping the Internet open in a tech policy paper 
<http://www.barackobama.com/issues/technology/> released more than a 
year ago. "When it comes to people lobbying, we're always going to be 
behind," Brodsky said. "The telephone companies are the biggest, 
wealthiest, and have the [largest] army of people out there. What we 
have now that we didn't have before is backing of an administration."

Large broadband providers have questioned the need for new net 
neutrality laws, saying that the FCC has already acted against carriers 
that have unreasonably blocked or slowed Internet content. Strict net 
neutrality rules may discourage investment in broadband networks at a 
time when Obama is calling for more broadband, they have said.

A representative of Comcast, the nation's largest broadband provider, 
declined to comment on the coalition's letter. Representatives of 
Verizon Communications and Hands Off the Internet, a group opposing net 
neutrality rules, weren't immediately available for comment.

(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)


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